By Cort Reynolds

SPENCERVILLE __ The Bluffton High School boys and girls cross country teams each finished ninth at the 12-team Spencerville Invitational in the Black Division Saturday morning, September 7.

Senior Levi Fenzl posted the top Pirate boys finish by crossing the line seventh in a field of 109 runners. His 3.1 mile time was 17:24.4.

Senior June Essinger posted the best Lady Pirate showing as she finished 17th out of 93 runners in 22:36.1.

Bath won the boys black division meet with 65 points. New Haven (In.) finished second with 81 points, followed by South Adams (In.) with 89, and Coldwater in fourth with 103.

The Bluffton boys finished ninth with 234 points.

Shawnee edged out Wapakoneta to win the girls team meet, 78-84. Coldwater came in third with 103 points. Junior Bryan Garcia of New Haven won the boys black division race with a time of 16:36.4. 

The Pirate girls finished ninth as a team, scoring 225 points. Bath freshman Penny Francis won the girls black division race in 19:22.7. 

Bluffton boys results
Varsity Boys Black Division - 5K Run
Place Athlete Grade School Time
7 Levi Fenzl 12 Bluffton 17:24.40
43 Owen Shoemaker 10 Bluffton 19:27.10
77 Toby Clevidence 9 Bluffton 22:22.20
87 Elijah Diffin 12 Bluffton 23:31.50
89 Levin Essinger 9 Bluffton 23:36.80
Bluffton 21:16 Avg

Bluffton girls results
Varsity Girls Black Division - 5K Run
Place Athlete Grade School Time
17 June Essinger 12 Bluffton 22:36.10
51 Zaeda Hermiller 9 Bluffton 25:07.70 
52 Elizabeth Honse 11 Bluffton 25:25.80
64 Alayna Mueller 11 Bluffton 26:58.90
68 Faith Combs 12 Bluffton 27:37.50
Bluffton 25:33 Avg

Bluffton runs at the Blue and Gold Invite in Ottawa Memorial Park Saturday morning, September 14.